Doonesbury Cartoons on Frank Sinatra

The Times has received 221 letters commenting on its decision not to print all of Garry Trudeau's Doon e sbury strips on Frank Sinatra; 206 criticized The Times' decision and/or praised Trudeau; 15 criticized Trudeau and/or praised Sinatra.

I hate to see a paper as big as The Times cower to censorship.

Trudeau is the greatest cartoonist-satirist of our time. Stand behind him. Social satire is something terribly important to defend everywhere.

DON and JANE ESTEP

South Laguna

Editor's Note: The Times risks lawsuits again and again because taking the risk is often the only way to get important information to its readers. Most of the Sinatra panels were withheld, not because of fear of litigation but because the newspaper was strongly advised by its lawyers that they would have substantial problems defending in court any libel suit that might have been filed.